A Silent Swan Song
by Rehza
Summary: (Slight AU) Freyja finds herself overwhelmed with work and decides to take a much-needed vacation back to Windermere. She doesn't have much time to enjoy herself, but she stumbles upon a familiar White Knight whose life had been changed forever because of her decisions. Though they might not get along flawlessly, could there be a connection to be made once they're free of war?
1. Mission 1

A Silent Swan Song

*This is a slight AU that takes place under the assumption that Keith couldn't fly after losing his right eye, and opened borders with Windermere post-war. (this was written before the show had ended[EP 22], but assume this to be after a resolution)* 

\- S S S - 

A small blonde slumped over her chair in a large military-grade cafeteria, her heart-shaped rune drooping with her.

"Fre-fre, maybe you should take a day off?" A girl with bright pink pigtails mused, looking on edge at her friend and teammate's dejected look.

"Freyja, without the conflict with the Windermereans, has the amount of practices gotten to you?" A fiery redhead questioned.

"Makina, Kaname, I'm tiiiiired...!" Freyja yawned out, her rune dimming slightly.

"Fre-fre, you could use your vacation time, you know..." A petite girl with green haired mused, playing around with her wrist phone's screen.

"That's a great idea, Rei-rei! She could go back to Windermere and see her friends and family!" Makina giggled out, clearly ecstatic about the idea. "Maybe you'll meet a cute boy?" She whispered out, a huge grin plastered on her face.

A moment of silence fell over the group as Freyja's face fell, her rune darkening even more. It was a sore subject still, as Hayate, her first love, had taken to Mirage. The fact that they were intimate was nigh taboo for Walküre. A sudden jab from Reina sent Making into silence in realization. "B-but, um, also just seeing your friends would be nice!" She stammered out, sighing heavily as Freyja gave a knowing nod.

"That sounds like a good idea, Makina, thanks." The blonde patted the pinkette's head, watching her spirits lift instantly.

"I'll put in the notice with HQ tonight, so you can probably head out tomorrow. It's usually only allowed to be a week, but due to your... Situation..." Kaname murmured, the whole group understanding it's meaning. Windermereans only lived an average of 30 years, so Freyja's time with Chaos was much more valuable than the others. "I think I can persuade them to give you two weeks off, so take your time." She finished, smiling slightly.

Freyja's face lit up, her rune starting to twinkle lightly. "Thanks, Kaname! You're the best squad leader!" The peach-blonde sang out giddily, sliding across the table to hug her senior. "I promise I'll work really hard these two weeks and come back super, duper refreshed!"

"I don't think you need to 'work hard' to be 'refreshed', but it's your leader's order to enjoy your vacation!" Kaname smiled with a slight wink, pushing the blonde girl off towards her room to pack.

"I hope her stay helps her feel better about Hayate..." Kaname murmured, Reina and Makina nodding in sync. 

\- S S S - 

"Freyja's Wion, reporting for leave!" Her peach waves bounced around as Freyja's bounded into the HQ office, a small duffle bag over her shoulder. She did a quick salute to the captain, her military manners having gotten much better since she began with Chaos. She didn't take everything as seriously as Kaname did, but she tried her hardest.

"Ah, Freyja, you're here..." Captain Arad motioned her over to the briefing table to join him. "A certain someone has convinced me to lengthen your vacation... Is that alright for you?" The captain asked with a soft smile. Kaname and Captain Arad had been spending more time together since the passing of First Lieutenant Messer, and it was only a matter of time before the two would begin dating. Makina had bet two more months, while even Mikumo had an opinion on the matter; she had guessed three weeks and six days... No one quite understood where the precise guess had come from.

"Ah, yes, Captain! I promise to be back riiiiight on time, y'know?" Freyja beamed, her hand clutching her bag tightly. As the two made a bit more small talk before Freyja was to leave for her passenger ship to Windermere, a certain blue-haired boy strolled in for his own briefing. When Freyja caught sight of his arrival, her eyes fell and conversation stopped.

"Freyja? Why are you here?" Hayate asked as he crossed the room to the briefing table.

After noticing Freyja's lack of response, Captain Arad chose to speak on get behalf. "Freyja will be leaving Ragna for a while for a vacation." Arad nudged the small girl towards the door. "Be off, or you'll miss you're flight."

"Vacation? Freyja is? There's no way she needs it, she's always at peak performance!" Hayate exclaimed, giving a cheeky smirk. He probably meant it as a compliment, but it left Freyja sinking down, seeming smaller than she already was.

"Everyone needs a break sometimes, Hayate..." Arad sighed, crossing his arms in disappointment. Hayate was a superb pilot, but as a man? He was certainly... lacking. "You're dismissed, Delta 5, I'll call you back later." He ordered, gesturing towards the door, his voice slightly cross.

"What...? Well, whatever. Have fun finding me!" The bluenette smirked, bounding out of the room and to the hangers, clearly about to fly without permission.

Arad sighed yet again, his arms lowering as he offered a sad, but knowing, smile to Freyja. "Take your time, okay? If you want a few days more, just send a letter my way or to Kaname, yeah?" He offered his condolences through a subtle pat to the peach-haired girl's head. When Freyja showed signs of lightening up, he grinned and nudged her out of the briefing room. "Have fun, kiddo!"

"I will, Captain! Thank you sosososooo much!" The small girl beamed, straightening her back and waving vigorously as she skipped out the doors and to the spaceport to begin her latest adventure.


	2. Mission 2

\- S S S -

\- S S S -

\- S S S -

"Now arriving in Windermere Intergalactic Space Station. Please wait for the cabin crew to dismiss you, and thank you for flying with Chaos Space Travel." A pre-recorded voice echoed amongst the cabin, the quiet soon overtaken with subtle murmurs of the passengers, all shuffling in their seats as they prepared to reenter the atmosphere.

In all the flights Freyja had taken to and from planets, this was her first time taking a commercial flight, whose access to fold technology was still limited. With flights that often took mere minutes, the change to a few hours was a surprise; the limited folding caused the distances jumped to be lesser, with more cruise time in space. And with the arrival of open borders to Windermere, tourists were much more likely. Despite this, few wished to travel to such a cold place with an intergalactic grudge.

Freyja felt the G-forces on her body slightly as they came into the atmosphere, her chest compressing slightly. As advanced as the human and humanoid technology had gotten involving space travel, one could only suppress so much. After the descent speed had begun to slow, she felt her body relax naturally. Peering out the window, she could see the eternal winter wonderland she called home.

Pulling closer and closer to the station, she forced herself away from the window, discovering her breath had been hitched the whole time as she sighed heavily. "I'm home, Windermere..." She whispered softly, her rune beginning to sparkle subtly.

\- S S S -

Freyja had made her way through customs and signed a few autographs on her way out, having become the social star of Windermere since the liberation and discovery of Walküre. She had to explain to the few fans who knew her that there was no live show from Walküre, and the dejected expressions made her leave the space station with her rune dulled.

After renting a bike, she rode to the hotel she'd be staying at. Chaos had also offered to pay for her lodging, which she had graciously accepted, but she hadn't realized they put her in the presidential suite of the nicest hotel in town, directly in the center of Windermere's capital city, Stratost.

After a hurried trip up to the new room, she noticed a note on the table, labeled to her from Captain Arad. "I know you're probably overwhelmed by your room, but we can't have a star of Walküre staying in some shady, cheap hotel. Kaname's idea, sorry, Freyja." After reading the letter, she noticed a crude drawing of the tactical sound unit in the bottom corner, signed from Reina and Makina. A smile rose to Freyja's lips as she threw her luggage on the kind-sized bed, her rune beginning to twinkle once more.

"I'll explore for today, it's my first time in Stratost, after all!" Freyja beamed, twirling around the room, her poncho fluttering around her. She opened her suitcase and grabbed her little over-the-shoulder purse, embroidered with Walküre's logo, slipping it on over the poncho. "I'm not sure where to start, but I'm gonna make sure I have enough fun to last a Windermerean lifetime!" She murmured, a determined look on her face as she headed out of the room, having a half a day left to explore Stratost before it would begin to get dark.

She didn't know at all where to begin, but Freyja jumped onto her bike and started down the road, taking in all the shops and restaurants and apple stands that filled her view. She wasted easily two or three hours biking, until she found herself turning down a darker alley way. Her bike caught on something and sent her flying off the front, scraping her face on the ground. Freyja's hand moved upward to feel the blood dripping down her cheek while she stood up.

Rustling could be heard behind her, causing her to spin quickly, her hair blocking her vision just enough to immobilize her while she saw a group of boys pick up her bike and run off with it. "Hey! That's mine!" She squeaked out, running to the end of the alley to see then already much farther than she had thought. She slowed to a halt and sighed, looking around her until she saw a small café back down the alley. "I guess I'll just go there until I can find a map..." She mused, walking to the café door and opening it to hear a soft chime go off.

The café was clearly a tiny one, and it seemed to be mostly unknown, as the store was empty. Yet, despite it's anonymity, the owner clearly took care to cleaning it, as the inside was warmly lit and sparkling.

Freyja inched her way in, wondering if it was closed, and made her way to the counter. "Hello? Is anyone here?" She softly called out, her voice echoing through the quiet building.

"Hold on a moment, I'll be out in a moment!" An older male voice called from behind a curtain, the shuffling of papers following. Freyja nodded her head despite him being unable to see her and climbed onto one of the barstools. Within a few minutes, a man came out from behind the curtain, his hair a lovely platinum blonde, his eyes and rune, a strikingly pale blue. He looked slightly familiar, but she dismissed the idea quickly. "It's been a while since we've had customers... Or are you here for the ad?" He asked, his face bearing a soft smile alongside many cracks and crevices of Windermerean age.

"Ad? What ad?" Freyja looked at the older gentleman curiously; it seemed he was nearing 30, if not already there.

"Well, I posted an ad in the paper about needing someone to take over the shop. I haven't had any apprentices, and as you can see, my time is coming soon, I'm sure." The weathered man responded, picking up a white tea cup and wiping it clean with a rag. He placed it on a saucer before her, and moved to a hot plate along the wall and placed a kettle on it, giving it time to heat.

"Well... Y'know, I guess I've already got a job?" Freyja murmured, clearly unsure if what she did counted as a job. "B-but, I'm on vacation for a couple weeks, so I can help you out!" She covered quickly, her rune sparkling as she thought about the idea of being a waitress. Her village had only orchards and a town hall, but she'd always wanted to try waiting tables. She'd done it a few times at Ragnyannyan, and it had been so much fun!

"Really? That's be a great help, actually." The man mused as he thought of ways to accept her offer. "Maybe you could run the store, and I could take the time off to interview prospective heirs..." As he seemed engrossed in thought, what brought him back was the whistling of the kettle behind him. He scurried over and poured the hot water into a pitcher. He then pulled out a Windermerean apple and peeled the skin off, placing the spiral into the water, alongside a dash of different unlabeled spices. He swirled the drink with a long spoon before placing the lid onto the pitcher and returning to Freyja.

"Enjoy my speciality, Windermerean apple tea." He grinned, pouring it gently into her tea cup, and more into another for himself. As he placed the pitcher on another hot plate at a different temperature, he returned to her once again, reminded of their original conversation.

"If you'd be willing to help, I'd love to accept. My name is Aeron Florence, and welcome to my humble abode, the Empyreal Café." The older man offered out his hand to shake that of a girl he had met a mere ten minutes prior.

"Well, hello, Mister Aeron, my name is Freyja Wion!" The peach-haired girl beamed, quickly shaking the offered hand before focusing on the drink before her. She daintily lifted the tea cup and sipped the hot drink, her eyes widening at the rush of flavors evident in the drink. Every spice brought out the slightly sour taste of the Windermerean apple skin, which had already infused the water with it's rich taste. Freyja had eaten many sea apples back on Ragna, as well ad on other planets, and they were just too sweet to compare to her beloved Winder apples, as she had playfully nicknamed them.

"Wow... The Mayor's tea wasn't even as good as this..." She muttered, looking up to him in are as her rune shone a bright yellow, displaying her joy. Among the humans, she had heard the phrase 'someone who wears their heart on their sleeve', and never understood why everyone used it to describe her. Was she that transparent? She had always thought it was her rune, but as it was a part private to the Windermereans, she had learned not to stare, alongside everyone else.

Aeron snickered and patted the girl's head, sipping at his own cup. "Thanks for that. My storefront isn't in the best place, so I never really get to share my recipe with anyone." He mused, resting his elbows on the bar. He looked directly into Freyja's eyes before continuing, "How about this? You start here tomorrow, and I'll teach you to make it. If you're gonna work here, I'll need to teach you all my recipes, anyways. I can't pay you until the end, but I'll take you out to dinner in return, each day until you're done."

Freyja thought it over for a moment before shaking her head. "No thanks." She denied in a mock-serious tone before continuing in a lighter one, "How about you just show me the nice restaurants in town? I don't need any other payment, but I'm new to Stratost, so you can show me what's good!" She beamed, placing her hands onto her hips. She clearly wouldn't be taking any bargaining from this man, and he obviously needed the help.

Aeron sighed in defeat before nodding his head in agreement. "Alright, you drive a hard bargain, but okay." He took another sip of the fruitful tea. "Tomorrow is the beginning of the Rom Mayan Festival, so everyone should be strolling through town. It's a great time for you to show up, actually. We usually get customers who wander down our alley and want to see what's up. If we slow down, you can take the evening off and explore the festival, okay? It's usually a big hit with out-of-towners."

The blonde sighed out in thought before handing her a small questionnaire. "I need some of your information before you can work her, and I need to get back to do other things... By the way, tea's on the house." Aeron gave her a small wink before shuffling back behind the curtain, papers rustling once again as he settled in.

Freyja was certainly surprised at the sudden turn of events, but was excited to begin working, so she quickly begin to fill out the lines, sipping her tea occasionally. "Freyja Wion... 16... November 3rd, 2052... Past occupations? Um... 'Apple Harvester' and 'Member of tactical song unit, Walküre', I guess..." She muttered to herself while filling out all the blanks. Upon finishing, the petite girl left the papers beside her empty tea cup and hopped down from the stool. All the excitement had gone straight to her stomach until she couldn't imagine trying to eat. With her stomach doing twirls, she decided to try to find her way back to her hotel.

\- S S S -

As it turns out, not only is Freyja's sense of direction flawed, but she must have been awfully far from the towering hotel anyways. She had walked a few blocks in any direction, and to no avail. "I've gotta find my way back soon, I haven't heard good things about the cities at night..." the peqch-haired girl murmured to herself, glancing up to see the sun setting already, a distant star in the sky.

"Hm... Well, I won't make it back in time, I guess." She decided, just in time for her stomach to growl loudly, her body knowing for sure what her next decision would be. "I guess I'll have to find food, since I forgot to ask Aeron for directions and get food..." She pondered, her eyes flitting around until they landed on a local Windermerean cuisine restaurant. Following the grumbling of her stomach, Freyja wandered into the eatery, quickly getting led to a seat in the back by a waiter.

"Here you are, ma'am. Take your time in ordering, and welcome to Papa Breeze's." the waiter recited, giving Freyja a subtle wink before walking off. Was he flirting with her? He seemed a couple years older than her, but arranged marriage was less likely in the bigger cities, so it was a safe bet. Shaking off her confusion, she heard a faint ringing coming from the door in the front.

As her eyes drifted naturally to the cause, she noticed a man in a hood had entered, his face downward. She couldn't see much of him, and to be honest, that only intrigued her more. The wind he brought with him was so swift. It was nigh harsh, but it felt more like a wind designed to pick her up, and it's familiarity made her rune twinkle once.

Before she could see much of the man, the waiter came back and asked for her order, pulling her out of her airy daydream. "Ah, yes, um... How about the apple-pork burger, then?" Freyja hurried, smiling to the waiter who nodded and whisked off to the kitchen once again. Upon looking around, she couldn't seem to find the hooded figure anymore. Despite that, she could still feel his wind chilling her slightly... He was certainly still nearby.

A few minutes passed with her eyes all over the place, yet again pulled back into the normal world by her waiter, having placed the burger in front of her and wishing her a lovely evening. She was still starving though, so as Freyja continued to search, she chowed down on the burger before her, her green eyes flickering back and forth between guests. No one had such an exhilirating wind as the hooded figure... Even the waiter, whose breeze was certainly kind to her, stood no shot to this familiar feeling. It was almost like Hayate's, but his was certainly too reckless. There was a sense of elegance to this individual. She couldn't help but wonder whether or not he was a pilot.

Before she knew what had happened, she went to grab another fry to notice has plate had been picked clean. "Rudanjal, had I been that hungry?" Freyja gasped, noting she had eaten even the tiny pieces of fries. She sighed and pulled out her Walküre purse, grabbing a few bills plus some for a tip, placing them on the table.

She gave one last look around for the hooded figure, only to find disappointment. She sighed and forced herself to stand up, leaving the table and heading out into the frigid breeze. She hadn't been on Windermere in a while, and forgot that there were two reasons one never left a building after nightfall. The cities were very unsafe, but most of all, without the sunlight, the planet froze over quickly. Freyja gave a violent shiver before moving to the side of the building away from the breeze, needing a moment to hide.

In a flash of action, Freyja went from curling together in cold snaps to being pinned wide open against the wall, arms apart, with a knee between her legs. If it weren't for the natural freezing flush of her cheeks, she surely would have gotten much redder at the sight of a black hood and a mysterious figure whose face was yet again hidden in the shadows. "Was it you who messed with my wind?" A familiar voice pierced abruptly. After a moment to gather her thoughts, he clearly noticed something that made him quickly lose his focus, his grip loosening just slightly in surprise.

After all the combat lessons Freyja had taken, she saw her chance and quickly yanked her arms free, the the knee against the wall still kept her from moving. She used her raised hand to slap the stranger as hard as she could, causing the hood to flutter down. A pair of violently blue eyes peered through her, almost causing her to completely ignore the rest of the person as her breath hitched.

"M-Master White Knight?" Freyja's voice came out as a weary whisper, recognizing the man immediately after she tore her eyes from his. She'd met him once before, when she was nearly captured on Voldor, thought she hadn't gotten too good of a look in the dark caves. She'd also seen him from far away when watching Windermerean royal broadcasts, though no screen could have given those eyes justice... Or, eye? After closer inspection, it seemed the White Knight of Derwent had a replacement eyeball in his right socket. She only noticed after his bangs blew in the wind, but his real blue was truly stunning.

Keith clicked his tongue angrily as he released her and lowered his leg, turning away slightly and whipping his hood back up. "Oh, it's you." He spoke quietly, his voice dripping with venom. After the end of the intergalactic fighting, she learned the White Knight had stepped down halfway through the war, hearing rumors of a grave injury.

"Master Whi-" Freyja started, but didn't have to see his eyes to feel the wind grow harsher, clearly he didn't like that title. "Prince Kei-" The wind grew stronger yet, whipping her hair violently in her face. "K-Keith..." The peach-haired girl recovered, turning his face toward her, lowering the hood again. He was clearly against her touch, but must have had a reason for staying still and obliging her. She gazed into the fake eye and have a sincerely pained expression, now knowing it was her fault for his injury, one that would forever keep him grounded with his wings folded in.

"I've wanted to tell you that I'm-" He cut her off again, this time with an audible growl of irritation. The Aerial Knight ripped his cloak off and threw it into her arms for storming off into the blizzard, his figure disappearing as quickly as it had showed up.

Freyja had a moment of silent confusion as she stared after him, then down to the cloak. A sad smile rose to her lips, her rune flickering out as she pulled the cloak on. She hid from the windy onslaught long enough to use her mercat phone to look up her hotel. Luckily, it was just a couple blocks further from the restaurant, so Freyja huffed a deep breath before making a full-speed dash through the blizzard.

Once she entered the hotel, she was greeted by the bellhop. "Can I take your coat for you, ma'am?" The boy asked in a scripted manner, trying to be polite, those his eyes deceived him.

"Actually, not this time, but thanks!" Freyja responded with a light wave before jogging into the open elevator, hitting the button for the top floor. She found herself holding the cloak closely, buried deep in the warmth. A cloak over a poncho would typically be thought of as uncomfortable, but Freyja would beg to differ.

As she entered her suite, she carefully glided to the living area, sitting down upon the plush loveseat. She couldn't help but wonder the chances of meeting with Keith here, but she reminded herself that he was still a prince, and the castle was just north of Stratost. Still, the city was huge, so meeting that man elonce again couldn't have been a mere coincidence.

As her mind flitted to and from topics, her body realized how tired she actually was from the day. Before she knew it, Freyja had fallen fast asleep on the couch, curled up under the large cloak.


	3. Mission 3

\- S S S -

\- S S S -

\- S S S -

"I close my eyes and think of a wish. I don't say it, but I'm sure it'll come true..." The gentle voice carried the words like feathers, filling the spacious suite as the peach-haired girl rested at the vanity, brushing her hair for the morning. "I can feel your chest rise and fall, I'll never forget this moment, locked in your gaze..." The word carried off and were replaced with a gentle humming, Freyja's rune giving a gentle sparkle.

After she finished brushing her hair, the girl stood and held her arms wide, absorbed in the music. "God bless you!" She sang out, twirling around in between hums. She began to pull on her outfit for the day, having picked a Walküre costume resembling a colorful maid. She looked to the bed to see the cloak from the night before, folded nicely. She had washed it after waking up, but had no idea how she'd give it back to its owner. Upon the left shoulder was the royal Windermere crest, and on the right, the crest of the Aerial Knights. She had to be careful with the cloak, as it was certainly a one-of-a-kind.

The petite girl picked up the folded outerwear and slipped it into a small backpack, along with her wallet. Today, Freyja would be helping out Aeron for the first time, and the prospect of being in Stratost for the Rom Mayan festival was blowing her mind. Upon her face grew a huge smile, her body readying itself for a nice run this early in the morning. She was still trying hard to forget the bike incident, but knew it'd need to be dealt with eventually.

She slipped out of the suite and into the elevator, making her way to the ground floor. After entering the lobby, she truly noticed the beauty of the hotel she was staying at. It was so lovely, she understood completely why it was the most expensive place in town. Freyja still wasn't completely on board with Chaos paying for such lodgings, but it wasn't as though they had given her much of a choice in the matter.

As the peach-haired girl left the warmth of the building, she was greeted with a gentle chill. Windermere was a tad farther from it's star than most habitable planets, but it didn't make it any less wonderful of a home, in Freyja's opinion. She was so focused on memorizing the gorgeous snow-covered scenes, she had barely realized it when she showed up at the Empyreal Café's door.

"Aeron? It's me, Freyja!" She sang out lightly as she entered the warm space, smiling brightly as she walked to the counter. Looking around, she truly took in the vintage storefront, the walls covered in cute antiques, catching the light spilling through the large bay windows. There wasn't much light to be caught, as the entrance and windowed wall was along the alleyway, but the light that was, reflected off of the many artifacts of colored glass, showering the room in rainbows. While Freyja had gotten caught up in the moment, yet again, Aeron had slipped out to the front and watched the girl twirl around in the rainbows. He didn't have the heart to interrupt her daydreams, but eventually had to.

"Freyja? Good morning." Aeron grinned, pulling the petite girl from her own world. "We won't get too much business today, so I was just planning on running you through a few recipes, if that's alright." He mused as he pulled out a large binder from below the table. "All my recipes are in here with easy-to-follow instructions; we should have a small rush for lunch, so I'll just run you through the drinks for now, and we can do foods as they're ordered."

Freyja peered over the counter at the thick binder, noting that the drink sections were labeled with moods and the food sections, labeled with matching drinks. The pages were all well-worn, but it was obvious how much time had gone into organizing the many recipes. She could only assume it was spaced this way for recommendations, wanting the customers to enjoy the best matches. "Thank you, Aeron! I'm very excited for this opportunity." The girl murmured, her face graced with the most beautiful smile, her heart filled with affections to her home planet. More than she though, she must have missed Windermere greatly.

For the next hour or so, before any customers had arrived, Aeron reviewed drinks with Freyja, guiding her through all the steps. After she had managed to get a general grasp on the teas, their first customer for the day had arrived. Immediately, Freyja put on an award-winning smile, bowing slightly to the trio of ladies who had entered through the door. Freyja now realized she should have written in her experience at Ragnyannyan on the questionnaire, as waiting came to her like a second nature. "Welcome to the Empyreal Cafe! Please, allow me to seat you!" Her peach hair bobbed from side-to-side as she jogged over, bring the ladies to a table covered in the rainbow reflections, wanting them to be in the scenic tables. Freyja handed them menus and drifted back to the counter, her smile not once faltering.

Aeron looked mildly dumbfounded at how natural her reactions had been, and slowly transformed his gaping mouth to a gentle smile. "That was excellent, Freyja. I don't think you'll need too much training at all, which is wonderful." He looked lost in thought as his eyes drifted back-and-forth, contemplating. "Alright! I've decided! I'm going to leave the shop in your care for a bit after the lunch rush." He declared, a sparkle in his eyes and his rune, as though he had found the secret to intergalactic peace. "I have some paperwork that needs to be notarized, so I need to get to the castle before they close. You're such a natural that you should be able to manage, and I'll always be a phone call away."

"Um..." Freyja blinked in shock at the sudden responsibility she had been handed. "Well, if you think I'm right for the job." She whispered out, pulling herself from the shock to answer, and then hurried back to the table, getting the orders from the trio, her smile as bright as the reflected rainbows. She scribbled down their requests and hurried to the counter, flipping through the recipe book to the drinks ordered. Before Aeron could get a word in sideways, she had already busied herself with following the fluid instructions. The older man shrugged it off with a soft smile and began to prep some tea time snacks to give out throughout the day.

\- S S S -

The next few hours seemed to fly by, Freyja taking a strong hold of the reigns, the front of the store becoming nothing more than her domain. For how little the two knew each other, as well as how rarely they spoke, Aeron and her were clearly kindred spirits. The ebb and flow of the cafe was in flawless harmony. Before she knew it, Freyja was watching Aeron head to the door, ready to go and take care of his business.

"Alright, we're empty for now, and hopefully not too many people will come in while I'm away, but just remember: I'm always a call away. If they ask for something you don't feel comfortable doing or making, feel free to tell the customers 'no'... and have fun, Freyja!" The blonde man grinned as he gave her a final wave and jogged out, set on the path to his destination.

Watching Aeron leave, Freyja suddenly became overcome with nervousness, wondering if she could take care of the shop without him. Her rune began flickering as she forced herself to take deep breaths, calming herself. "You'll be fine, Freyja! Aeron wouldn't have left the store in your care if you weren't capable!" She declared with a final sigh and a smile. She lifted her hand and ran it through her peach hair, twirling strands of peach and yellow highlights as she headed to the counter, taking a seat at a bar stool. The vibrant green eyes drifted over the cafe, her eyes drifting to a small stage in the corner, a single microphone stand placed in the center of the corner-based stage. Freyja could only assume it was for things such as poetry and meetings, as singing had been outlawed in Windermere for the longest time. Only in the past few months had the ban been lifted, so singing was still a somewhat sore subject for the Windermereans.

As judgement left her head, she wandered to the stage, grabbing the wireless mic from its stand, noticing it wasn't connected to any amps. Freyja could have sworn she felt relief at the idea that singing into this mic wouldn't be broadcast to anyone. She had lived her entire life on Windermere, knowing singing to be a forbidden taboo, and was still nervous to release her voice on this chilly planet. Nonetheless, she began humming, her eyes closing slightly; a familiar melody taking over her.

"We never know what the future will bring... believe that there's a silver lining. No need to fear and one wish to do with, just to overcome all difficulties~" The words flew out sweetly, her heart and rune fluttering at the feeling of singing once again. As she was absorbed in her music, she couldn't hear the gentle chime of the door as someone entered the cafe. "In the sinful trap of sadness, a secret wanders one morning. Flowers are drenched in tears, and their roles, devoid of reason, are played out on instinct...~" The wind that surrounded Freyja gently carried her words alongside a sweet warmth. This familiar wind mixed with another, brushing coolly against her pale skin. this feeling, while comfortable in its own way, was not of just her own wind, and pulled Freyja from her thoughts. Her eyes flashed open and drifted across the floor, not seeing a soul.

Freyja chose to step down from the stage, suddenly feeling overcome by nerves again. She could have sworn she felt another's wind, but there wasn't anyone in the store... "H-Hello? Is someone here...?" She stammered softly, placing the mic back into the stand, turning to walk to the door and peeking out into the alleyway. Left, right, and left again... not a soul. Was she imagining things? The petite girl gave a strong sigh, realizing she had been holding her breath in anticipation. She pulled backwards back into the store, closing the door gently. She turned to face the counter and let out a shrill scream, finding someone to be standing very close to her, peering down at her.

Before her scream could echo out, a hand clamped down on her mouth, a familiar groan heard. "Calm down... how would you have apologized to me if I was a normal customer?" The husky voice, clearly irritated, pulled her back to Windermere. Before her, towering above her as he had before, was a grumpy former Aerial Knight. His eyes lowered into a glare, clearly not at all amused by the small singer before him.

In a flash of realization and a moment's breath, the older boy recoiled back in shock, a bright red hand print adorning his left cheek. "Wh-What the hell?!" He exclaimed, his eyes showing the quick transition from irritation to unbridled anger.

Freyja, while her mind overclocked at the idea of having just full-force slapped the first prince of Windermere, stood up straight and let her heart take over. "Who do you think you are?! How would _you_ have apologized if I had been a normal waitress? I could have died from shock!" She shrilly cried out, grabbing her right hand with her left, trying to ignore the pain left from her own slap.

The icy blue eyes before her widened slightly, possibly in realization of his actions, but more likely because she dared to raise her hand to a prince. Keith hated his position and title, as they were both useless, but he still had to carry himself royally. Ever since Heinz had taken the throne, he had become nothing more than the forgotten prince of Windermere... especially after losing his ability to pilot. He could no longer claim the title of the "White Knight of Derwent" nor the "First Prince of Windermere".

A moment of silence stretched between the two, turning from tension to anxiety. Freyja began to become painfully aware of how close she was to him; after he had recoiled back, they were still incredibly close, leading Freyja to blush faintly at how close they had to have been before the slap. Her pride was usually minimal, but when it came to this individual, she felt as though she couldn't stand down. The petite girl refused to be the first to add distance between the two, thus refusing to be the one to give in and 'lose'. She had stated her point (a valid one, at that), and he would need to accept responsibility for his own actions!

The moment of silence spread from one to many, neither backing away from the other. Slowly the anxiety reverted to an indescribable tension, both glaring at the other. Oddly enough, the silence was cut by Keith. He heaved a sigh and broke eye contact before turning away and murmuring something unintelligible. Freyja couldn't hear it very well, but it sounded as though it may have been an apology...? Her green eyes widened in mild surprise before she leaned out and grabbed his elbow carefully. "What was that...?" She asked quietly, only to get her grip shoved off and her question ignored.

The blonde boy walked towards the counter and took a sit at one of the many bar stools, looking around for something or someone. After yet one more moment of silence, he finally looked her way to ask her his questions. "Where's Aeron?" He asked bluntly, making startling eye contact with the girl frozen in place.

"E-Eh...? Oh! Um, Aeron had to leave for a little bit... I'm watching the store in his place!" Freyja explained, her face flushing slightly as she became flustered, forcing herself to move and hurried to the other side of the bar top. "C-Can I get you something, Prince-" Her words were cut short by another glare from the boy, shutting her up immediately. She had totally forgotten the night before, and her manners demanded that she address him formally, though she should have remembered he hated it.

"... apple tea." He grunted out and rested his head on his hand, propping himself on the counter with his gaze towards the stage in the corner. Freyja opened her mouth to say something else, but caught herself when she noticed how focused he was on whatever he was thinking about. She chose to just shut herself up and silently make the tea as Aeron had instructed her, being careful not to mess up. Even without her personal 'relationship' with the prince, she still would have been nervous enough to take her time. The last thing she wanted was for him to have something to scold her for. With how little she knew about him, it always felt as though he could see right through her. Freyja couldn't help but wonder if it was his wind as a prince... the cooling breeze that always consumed her. Though she had always heard rumors that the first prince's wind was a sharp and frigid one, the few times she had come into contact with him before, there was no way she could describe it as such.

As with Mikumo's voice... maybe she was too optimistic? Freyja had always felt Mikumo's singing gave off a rainbow color, while others thought it was hollow and commanding... colorless, as it were. She _must_ be too optimistic, because Keith's wind was cool, sure, but it was one of the most gentle winds she had ever come into contact with. It was gentle, yet firm; his wind would carefully lead one wherever they needed to go.

Freyja coughed slightly to force herself out of her own thoughts, pulling her head back to the tea before her. She poured it into a small tea cup, and brought it to her customer, placing it on a saucer before him. "Enjoy." Her high voice carried the command in a sweet manner, a lovely smile covering her lips. No matter the customer, she wanted them to have a good time! Even if it was this man who could be described as her enemy. This smile certainly wouldn't have been unnoticed.

\- S S S -

Freyja had busied herself with polishing some tea cups from earlier, a few feet away from Keith's seat. Despite the royal air around him, he seemed much like a normal guy, drinking his tea while getting lost in thought. Once he finished, she noticed him dig around in his pocket for some change, placing it on the counter beside the cup before standing up. "Thanks." He brusquely headed for the door and out into the alleyway. This time his words were nothing but formalities, but Freyja appreciated them nonetheless.

"... oh no!" Freyja's smile fell as her eyes drifted to her backpack stored beneath the counter. His cloak! Before another thought could happen, she grabbed the bag and vaulted over the counter, dashing out the door. "Keith!" She called out as soon as the door had cracked open slightly. After dashing into the alleyway, she threw her head side-to-side, looking for the familiar blonde hair or piercing blue eyes. After a moment in which she stood absolutely still, she realized he had already gotten away, and must not have heard her call his name.

Freyja's eyes drifted to the closest alley end and noticed a man with blonde hair turn into the alley. "Keith!" The small girl called and ran towards the person. She practically skidded into the man, then threw her head to look up, finding herself staring into another pair of piercing blue eyes.

"Freyja?" The tall man waved a hand in front of her face, wandering what overcame her. Giving his visage attention, Freyja realized it was just Aeron, returning from his errands. A heavy sigh took over the small girl, pulling away from her employer. Aeron arched a brow in confusion, ruffling the girl's hair up slightly. "What's up? Did something happen while I was gone?"

"E-Eh? N-No, everything was fine! I just thought you were someone else..." She murmured faintly, backing away towards the door of the cafe again. Was she... disappointed? Of course she was! She had wanted to make sure he got his cloak back, as it seemed very important to him!

Aeron shook his head slightly and nudged her into the store, leading them both out of the chilly air. He watched as Freyja headed to the counter, depositing her bag on the floor and grabbing the change left beside the used tea cup. She moved to put it in the register when Aeron suddenly came up to her, stealing her attention. "You had a customer while I was gone?"

"Yeah, and he was looking for you, it seems." Another small sigh came out as she wondered when she'd see the mysterious White Knight again.

"Oh? Who was it?"

The question caused Freyja to freeze up. She obviously knew who it was, but did Aeron? Keith had asked for Aeron by name, though, so he must have! ... or was Aeron in trouble with the royal family? Oh dear, she couldn't lie and say she didn't know who it was, though, since everyone knew the first prince! "U-Um..." Oh Rudanjal, what was she even to address him as? She couldn't just go and call the royal family so informally! Freyja cleared her throat before phrasing it as best she could, "It was Master White Knight, his highness, Prince Keith."

"Keith was here?" Aeron blinked in slight surprise, taking a seat at the counter. Was he close to the prince? He addressed him so informally, after all.

"Aeron, are you familiar with his highness?"

"Ah!" Aeron seemed to have gotten caught off guard, himself, at the small girl's question. "Well, I suppose I do? Keith is... well, he's my nephew."

Freyja faltered slightly, shocked by the sudden revelation. She had heard many nasty rumors about Keith's mother, as he was considered the illegitimate child of a maid to the king. There was no way the deceased king had a brother... so it would stand to reason that Aeron would be the brother of Keith's mother. "Wow!" The explanation her head had come up with just taken the breath right out of her, surprised at the synchronicity of it all. What were the chances that the 'traitor' of Windermere would take a short-term job as a waitress under the uncle of the first prince? She was in the presence of someone important! ... or not? If he was the brother of the maid who carried the illegitimate child, it wasn't as though he had much to do with anything.

"So? What did he want?" Aeron pulled Freyja from her thoughts, gazing over the counter at her, his curiosity piqued.

"Well, I don't really know?" As she thought of it, she was reminded that she hadn't even asked him the most basic of questions. "In the end, I just served him a glass of tea and he left..." Her eyes glanced down to her backpack, the temporary house of his highness's royal cloak. Freyja's eyes lit up in realization that, if she wanted to return it, the perfect man to ask was just before her. She threw the bag onto the counter between the two and beamed. "Aeron! Do you know where I can find Keith? I need to give something of his back!"

Aeron seemed confused at the switch in personality, though not for the reasons Freyja had been ready for; her verbal slips had given her away. "Are you and Keith close? To suddenly drop formalities like that..." He could see in her wide eyes that she hadn't meant to make such a rude mess-up. He actually felt bad for the girl who looked like she wanted to slam her head into the wall at her own stupidity.

"Um... yes? I mean, no. I mean, he hates me, but I don't hate him? I think?" Freyja stammered with wide eyes, suddenly aware of how obscure their relationship truly was. "He, uh, gave me h-his cloak yesterday when we ran into each other, so I n-need to give it back, I guess? I-It's important, right?" The girl's face quickly flushed as she frantically tried to answer his questions to the best of her ability.

Silence ensued, until Aeron burst out laughing, leaning over the counter to ruffle Freyja's hair once again. "Hey, it's okay." He encouraged her in a gentle voice. "I doubt he hates you. I think the only person capable of earning his hatred is that Windermerean girl who ran away to join that... singing group..." What had started as mere musings, slowly grew into deep thoughts. Clearly Aeron hadn't read Freyja's survey answers too thoroughly, but must have paid enough attention to realize what he was saying to the girl before him.

It was something she already knew, but hearing it from a third-party hurt the most. The girl lowered her gaze until her bangs covered her view, her eyes beginning to overflow with large tears. She was a softhearted girl, and the idea of someone hating her, alone, was enough to make her want to cry... but the prince of her home planet? Someone who she could only ever dream of earning the respect of?

Before she let her thoughts consume her in front of her kindhearted boss, Freyja abandoned the bag on the table and ran out of the shop and into the alley, hiding in a small alcove off one of the sides. She curled up against the wall, on the floor, and sniffled loudly. Was Windermere still against her? Would she never be able to come back to her home planet and be welcomed in open arms?

\- S S S -

The girl, curled into a small ball, sat there crying for what seemed like hours. She knew that she should have returned to the Empyreal Cafe a long time ago... but she couldn't bring herself to stop her eyes from watering. The full-blown crying had stopped a while ago, but her heart still ached for the love of her home country.

Before she could give it another thought, she felt a strong cloak be draped over her frail shoulders between ragged breaths. She didn't look up, assuming Aeron had finally come to scold her. When the person spoke, though, she recognized the voice... though it wasn't the one she had expected.

"Sorry... it seems he said too much. So... sorry." The gruff voice stood still through his words, then his footsteps faded off as he walked back towards the cafe entrance.

Upon raising her eyes, Freyja noticed she had been covered with the royal cloak that should have been folded nicely into her backpack. She heard her heart beat loudly in the silence of the alleyway, sure it was bouncing off the walls and consuming her. She curled up tighter under the cloak, securing it around her neck, staring at the wall across from her. Minutes passed, and she finally took a deep breath and stood, focusing her attention as she headed back to the cafe to apologize for her behavior.

She would apologize to Aeron, and he could fire her if he wanted! After all, even with the words spoken to her, she knew it was possible that locals would hold grudges against her and her team... After all, everyone knew what they had done to the country's first prince and other pilots... forgiveness wouldn't be easy to ask for, but she was determined.


	4. Mission 4

\- S S S -

 **A/N** : Thank you all for your kind words and reviews! Since I'm newer to writing lengthy pieces, I'm sure my pacing is terrible, but I'm glad to anyone who I can make happy with this fic! Whenever I see Keith and Freyja in the show (now at episode 24), I can't help but feel them as a perfect match. They contrast just enough to polish the other. I hope this story, for however long it goes, can help get my feelings across! - Rehza

Also, I just watched episode 25, and have decided to include a fact from 24 about Freyja's right hand... if you haven't watched the latest episodes yet, I would beware of super light spoilers! (even more, it goes as far as the preview for episode 26)

\- S S S -

\- S S S -

Freyja took a heavy breath as she stared at the cafe door, deciding whether it was in her place to enter once again. Her eyes glued to the door handle, she stood completely still, lost in a sea of thoughts. Giving herself a moment longer, she then decided she needed to get the embarrassment over with. Her hand reached out, gripping the chilly metal and turning it softly. Pushing the door open, she forced herself through, practically running into the chest of Aeron, whose face bore a distressed and worried look. The petite girl blinked in confusion, a moment of silence passing before the older man wrapped his arms around her, rambling on and on about how sorry he was for hurting her feelings.

"Freyja! I'm very, very, very, very sorry!" He repeated over and over again, finally letting her go and looking straight into her eyes, his apology evident on his features. "Keith scolded me, and I've learned my lesson!" He insisted, giving Freyja one more tight squeeze.

"... I did nothing of the sort." A voice resonated from the counter behind Aeron; the older man slid to the side to reveal the prince sitting on a stool, sipping at some more tea, his back to the pair.

"K-Keith...? You were here?"

"Hm... well, it feels like he did!" Aeron pouted slightly, beginning to show an expression of someone who should be younger than the mature prince. "After you ran out, I got so worried! Since you seemed to know Keith, I gave him a call and had him come over... you're not mad, right?" The blonde's voice fell as he looked at Freyja with eyes similar to that of a small merpup. With Keith nearby- or maybe it was just that she was getting to know him? Either way, Freyja was learning much about Aeron, who seemed to be a giant child inside, contrary to how he had originally seemed.

Freyja gave a soft sigh and smiled, nodding her head in assurance, her right hand tightening around the front of the cloak. "Yeah, I'm not mad." She murmured definitively, slipping past Aeron and towards Keith. Her hand slid up unbutton the cloak, slipping it off her shoulders before folding it nicely. "And I believe this is yours?" She asked softly, her throat feeling slightly scratchy from the sobbing earlier. She swallowed heavily, trying her best to ignore the pain, and placed the folded cloak in the counter across from the blonde whose face was turned from her.

"... yeah, thanks." The boy murmured, not making any semblance of eye contact as he stood and lifted the cloak up, holding it near his chest. He turned for the doorway, about to take his leave, before Aeron decided to step in front of him, blocking the path. "Yes, Uncle?" His curt words made Aeron flinch visibly, surprising Freyja.

"Keith, no need for formalities! Just 'Aeron' is fine..." The older male sighed and closed her eyes, before scratching at the back of his neck. After one more sigh, he opened his eyes and made contact with Keith. "I have a request," He leaned closer to the younger boy before whispering softly, out of hearing range of Freyja, "and it might make little Freyja feel a bit better..." He pulled away before continuing loud enough for both to hear, "I'd like you to take Freyja to see the festival. She deserves the break, after all, since she has been helping me out all day." Aeron spoke in a way that alluded that 'no' would not be an answer to be taken, as such, Keith just sighed and didn't even try to argue. There was no need to waste energy on an impossible battle.

Before Keith could agree or disagree, though, Freyja spoke up. "Oh no, Aeron, I couldn't ask Keith to do that! Besides, I'm sure he has other things going on..." She assumed he had many prince-like duties to attend to for such a major festival for Windermere. The truth was, though, that after Heinz had been crowned, Keith had lost many, if not all, his privileges due to position. While he was appreciated as the former White Knight of Derwent, he would never be respected as the former heir presumptive. He was but a maid's child, and all nobility on Windermere would be angelic to let him forget his position... or lack thereof.

Freyja looked over to see Keith lost in thought, and wandered closer to the reclusive prince whom she had seen more of, as an enemy, than she had as a citizen. Once face-to-face with him, she stood on her tip-toes, attempting to balance the height difference, if only slightly. There was a mere foot between them, yet Keith still seemed to be elsewhere. She couldn't help but wonder what had enraptured his thoughts so stiffly. She lifted a finger to poke his nose, not noticing Aeron had snuck up behind her. This man, more mischievous than she had previously thought, nudged her slightly forward. Her light tap to his nose turned to the girl practically punching him, her weight following through until she fell. The blonde boy, no longer lost in thought, merely sidestepped her and watched as she fell to her face, giving a moan of pain and inconvenience.

"... whoops." Aeron had clearly not expected such an outcome, and moved to flick Keith's forehead in a manner befitting an uncle. "You're supposed to save the princess, not let her fall!"

"She's not a princess. And besides, she punched me." Keith calculated, always the one to be oblivious to pranks and intentions of others. "Who in their right mind would save a person like that from a fall befitting their attitude?"

The older blonde sighed, feeling his forehead wrinkling in worry. Despite the natural genius his nephew was, he missed out on a lot in the world. "I pushed her, Keith. She wasn't planning to hurt you. You were just zoning out, is all." He explained, leaning over to help Freyja stand, the small girl rubbing at her nose sorely.

"Aeroooooon!" Freyja squealed softly, moving to flick the cafe owner's forehead. She couldn't help but notice how comfortable she had become with this stranger so quickly, noting that she treated him as she did the members of Walküre. He was just one of those people that drew others to them, like a bug to light. After the surprise attack from the younger girl, the two made eye contact and a serious wind blew between the two. Not a moment or two later, the two were laughing, their runes sparkling softly.

"Can I leave now?" A voice cut through the two's laughter, leaving them to spin simultaneously and face Keith, who still seemed as aloof and emotionless as he always did. If Freyja could hate anything about a person, she would most definitely pick that feature. She could never tell how he felt, while herself, on the other hand... well, she was certainly the type to wear her heart on her sleeve.

"Only if you have something so important that it's worthy as an excuse to not escort our guest." Aeron decided, snickering as he thought of how interesting Freyja's laugh was. It was so much like a creepy snicker, that it was amusing.

"Um... Aeron, it's fine." Freyja spoke up softly, a small smile still at her lips, though a sad look graced her eyes. Keith had a right to hate her for all she and Walküre had done to him and Windermere. She would have to have been stupid to expect forgiveness at all, let alone so recently. Even before her going AWOL from her home country, she had always looked up to the strong White Knight. As the face of the Aerial Knights, it made him the hardest for her to betray, yet she had to do so anyways. "I'll show myself around... after all, Windermere _is_ my home."

Upon saying those heartfelt words, she heard a slight scoff behind her, causing her to flinch visibly. Even saying just that offended him? She had felt like such a traitor after the whole Var War, when Walküre held their first honest tactical live on the planet, she had dared to pretend to be sick, and skipped out. She had been so afraid of seeing the faces she knew, and of the hatred they would bear. Freyja looked down at her right hand, a small fingerless glove having been included into her normal costuming. Beneath the red glove was the consequences of her actions in this galaxy. Even if this man were to know of her situation, she was sure it wouldn't be enough to appease him.

Aeron's face bore a heavy look as he walked over to his nephew, giving him a light, but serious, smack to the head. "I may not be your father, but I know your mother wouldn't stand for you to have been brought up to be such an unforgiving person." He whispered low enough for only the blonde boy to hear. The older put a bright smile on his face and turned to face Freyja, wrapping his arm around Keith's shoulder, his gripper tighter than it would seem. "Good for you, Freyja! Keith, here, has decided to take you under his wing and show you the greatest sights of the Rom Mayan Festival!" Aeron declared, a huge grin on his face as he shoved Keith forward to the younger girl, placing his hands on his hips. "Now, you two, go out and have some fun! Freyja, I'll see you tomorrow morning, same time!"

Freyja would have stammered _something_ out, if not for how hurried the situation was. She noted Keith's light glare as Aeron shoved the two out of the cafe and into the alleyway. "I'm sorry, Keith... um... you can leave, if you'd like? I should be fine on my own..." She murmured softly, her gaze, downcast.

The taller individual sighed and started walking for the closest exit of the alley, grumbling just loud enough for her to hear, "It's fine... I'm sure he'll just follow us, anyways..."

With the encouragement, Freyja looked up slightly and gave a slight smile, nodding and running after him. She tried to walk alongside him, but it was clear he planned on only leading her, always staying a step or two ahead. After they exited the alleyway, Keith pulled the hood of his cloak up, covering his hair and face. The peach-haired girl could only assume it was his attempt to hide his identity, after all, he _was_ the prince. His cloak was still that of the White Knight of Derwent, but if nobody paid attention, he would just seem like a normal civilian to most. With her thoughts filled of Keith, for whatever reason, she kept in stride with him, and allowed him to show her to the center of the city, where all the festivities would be held.

\- S S S -

"Come and get your fresh Windermere apples, here!"

"Sign-ups for the First Annual Windermerean Singing Competition will be ending soon!"

"Hey, little lady and her gentleman, care you play a quick game and win a prize?"

"Buy some fireworks for the Rom Mayan Parade!"

"Selling the newest Mercat phone line, shocking prices!"

"Get your official King Heinz merchandise here!"

The voices continued, slamming into Freyja from one direction to another, overloading her sense. It reminded her of the Moon Jelly Festival back on Ragna, and just the memories brought a smile to her face. Keith had led her to a single food stand, ordering a caramel apple, and handing it to Freyja before immediately setting off, once again to another booth. It seemed, to her, that he was taking Aeron's order of 'showing her the best parts of the festival' incredibly seriously. It certainly made her feel rushed in her enjoyment, but he had small stops at dance circles and game booths, paying her way, and then watching her from far away as she participated until she grew tired. No one really noticed him aside from the game booth owner, who tried his hardest to get Keith to play a game and 'win a prize for the little lady', to no avail.

After they two bounced from place to place, he stopped at the large fountain adorning the center of the square, gesturing for her to sit on the edge. After she did, he turned away and took a step before saying something, though the crowds muffled it slightly. "... best spot... fireworks... errands, bye." And with nothing more than a blink of her eyes, Freyja watched Keith disappear into the crowds.

A heavy sigh left her lips as she suddenly felt very alone in a world not her own, though this was _exactly_ her world. Freyja had gotten so used to Ragna, Walküre, and the Delta Squadron, that she no longer felt like Windermere was where she belonged. While she was lost in her thoughts, the voices around consuming her, she heard someone speak to another, of to the edge of the square, "We don't have anyone signed up! What are we going to do... without singers, we can even _try_ to have an annual singing competition!"

"D-Don't worry! We'll just keep sign-ups open until we have the stage! We'll figure something out!"

"Neither of us can sing, idiot. What are we going to do if no one signs up and the stage is empty during our set? We won't be able to pay the reservation fee!"

"Well, maybe we deserve this... who were we to think we could get five people to sign-up, anyways? Especially with our registration fee as high as it is."

"Well, it wasn't like there was a good chance of us getting more than five, so it _had_ to be that expensive!"

Freyja had stood up, abandoning her spot for the fireworks, noting the stage was directly in front of the spot, and snuck through the crowds towards the voices that seemed so clear, despite the ruckus. She heightened her rune's sense to pinpoint the exact two, and found herself stumbling through the people until she got pushed and fell at the feet of two Windermereans, a man and a woman, who instantly looked down at her and gasped.

"Oh my god, I know you!" The woman squealed, practically lifting Freyja up off the ground in excitement. "You're Freyja! Freyja Wion! I went to Walküre's concert here, and was so sad to learn you were sick... you were the one I had wanted to see the most!"

The man arched a brow and crossed his arms in thought. "This is the girl you dragged me to that concert to see? That Mikumo girl was the center, so you brought me to see a back-up singer?" He mused, giving a light glare to his partner, who laughed it off as though it were nothing, patting Freyja's back hard enough to cause her breath to catch.

"As far as I'm concerned, Freyja should be center! Rune ga Pikatto Hikattara is my favorite song, and it's Freyja's! It's been stuck in my head since the music ban was lifted!" The woman's eyes sparkled brightly as she babbled about Freyja's 'backstory' about her entering Walküre, clearly having done her research.

"..." The man's eyes lit up as he slammed his hand over the woman's mouth to shush her, his thoughts occupied, working out the details of his genius plan. "I've got it! We can change the competition to a concert! Are the other girls here with you?"

Freyja's mouth suddenly felt dry at being asked to do a concert, the color draining from her face. A concert on Windermere? Was she even ready to stare hatred in the face? She was, after all, the girl branded a 'traitor' just a few months ago.

The woman picked up on Freyja's nerves and suddenly calmed down immediately, a gentle smile on her features. "It doesn't matter if the other girls aren't here... I think Freyja's songs are the ones that need to reach the people. After all, she is the Wind Singer of the people. The royalty has King Heinz, but I like Freyja's singing the best." She murmured, patting Freyja's head softly, pulling her and the man backstage when the stage hands declared it was intermission between acts.

"So? What do you say, will you sing for us? I think if it's Freyja, the people will finally see that music is possible for us, too."

Freyja was, again, speechless, but for a different reason. Could it really be that people here, on Windermere, wanted to hear _her_ songs and listen to _her_ words? The small girl felt her eyes water slightly as she looked down, giving a slight sniffle. She raised her gloved hand to wipe the tears away, then looked at the red cloth covering her proof, the proof she wanted to protect the galaxy. She had exerted herself for everyone, not just the people from Ragna... but for everyone in the globular cluster. After a moment longer, she felt her eyes dry and determination fill her once again; she hadn't felt like this since she had decided to run away and join Walküre.

"I will." She whispered out, hoarsely, as she lifted her head to stare the two in their eyes. These two were merely background characters, but their words would not be something she would ever forget, even if she never saw them again.

The woman squealed in glee and jumped up and down, pulling the man up and onto the stage as their set began. She grabbed the mic and pulled down the banner that had been hung up, advertising a singing competition. "Hi, everyone, there's been a change of plans for our set!" Unsettling whispers could be heard spreading like wildfire, but the lady seemed much too determined to let anything upset her. "We won't be having a singing competition, but instead, we'd like to introduce a special guest... Freyja Wion, of Walküre, will be giving us a special live show!" Her voice carried over the crowd and brought forth absolute silence, no one saying a word. She was a celebrity, whether she wanted to be, or not.

The pair ran back off the stage and the woman grabbed Freyja's hand and pulled her up onto the stage, passing the mic. "Show them that you're a Windermerean, too!" She whispered before jogging off, leaving Freyja atop a stage before a silent crowd. Most of the tactical lives she had been part of had involved instantaneous cheering from the crowds, even before a single word was sung. This crowd, though, would need proof that she was worth a cheer or their support.

Freyja's eyes surfed through the crowd, wondering if she'd recognize even a single person... though she didn't. Finally, her eyes fell on the spot where Keith had left her, noticing someone in a cloak had already filled it in. She felt terrible that, despite all his hard work, she had just gotten up and left. "U-Um..." She decided she needed to say something, as she hadn't planned on doing any professional bits while on Windermere, and hadn't prepared any accompaniments. "I'm Freyja... I'll, uh... I'll be singing 'Giraffe Blues' for you, today..." She whispered into the mic, her face down slightly.

"Speak up!"

A voice pierced through the crowd and carried over to her, causing the petite girl to flinch and look up to the crowd before her. A group of people were looking in the direction of the fountain, likely to see who had spoken up, and noticed they were staring at the person who had taken her spot at the fountain. The cloaked figure pulled his hood down, and she realized she was staring at the platinum blonde hair of a boy who hated her more than anything.

Keith's words had renewed her determination, and Freyja gave a slight cough to clear her throat, bringing everyone's attention back onto the stage. After looking into the eyes of the crowd and seeing, not hatred, but curiosity, she felt fired up. A giant smile graced her face as she centered herself on the stage, pulling out a small, green MP3 player that she had gotten from Hayate's father. This small machine had started her journey to being a Galactic Songstress. She turned to the side of the stage where the man and woman were, and tossed the machine to them. The man caught it easily and, without saying a word, plugged it into an amp, playing the song she had introduced. Feeling the music course through her veins, Freyja's rune lit up brilliantly as she sang:

"I'm unable to catch up to you; what were you always watching from this place? Counting the things you'd lost, despite what you'd gained, you were even trying to hide your tears, weren't you? Those eyes that looked too faithfully forward, were seeing this world from a slanted angle. Dreams cannot be drawn by you alone; an unseen wind carries them on their way. If you get the feeling that you can fly high and far, never let go of this hand holding you firmly."

As her words carried themselves over the stunned audience, the musical break came on, Freyja felt the gentle wind that surrounded her and everyone else. Those powerful words had brought forth a warm wind, wrapping itself around her heart and carrying it out to the people before her. Despite the cold place they all called home, not a single person in that audience felt anything but warmth and love. The song, the meaning of the words, and the place she called home... when they all combined, they brought tears to her face. Freyja continued to sing in a brave voice, her tears falling onto the hand that held her microphone. The glove that hid her shame from the word began dripping. Freyja couldn't bear to be so dishonest with the people she sang for, and quickly slipped the material off, throwing it to the ground. Subtle gasps could be heard as she revealed the deterioration of her skin, something that a Windermerean of her age should never have. While proudly displaying her largest insecurities to these strangers, something she hadn't even shown Walküre, she continued to sing:

"The truths within your heart can't be communicated with words alone. Even if you claim them as your own, that unfading void is only being covered up by a smile. Before you knew it, you'd gotten too close- unable to hear my song as you once did... Where are you know, my beloved... in this world that's lost all color... all meaning? I still believe we can fly high and far, but amid that unseen sky, our wings are shred to pieces. Dreams cannot be drawn by you along; an unseen wind carries them on their way. If you get the feeling you can fly high and far, never let go of that hand holding you firmly.

"I know your blues~" Freyja finished softly, adding some light vocalization to the end as the music drew to a close. She opened her eyes and looked out at the people she had sang for, and noticed a good portion of the people were wiping at tears, holding each other tightly. The peach-haired girl's eyes widened in surprise at the reaction, but calmed down to a gentle smile as a slow applause built up amongst the audience. She brushed at her own tears and gave a light laugh as it built from a slow clap to a roaring applause, the audience chanting for an encore.

Freyja looked to the fountain and saw Keith sitting still while everyone stood and cheered. The blonde gave a curt nod of approval, his arms crossing his chest. She felt a swell of pride and a flush of her face, beaming at the approval. She hadn't expected it, but his reaction had been the one she most wanted to see, and for it to be positive, she was much too elated now. Maybe she wasn't hated as much as she thought she had been.

Before she could move an inch, with the audience still chanting for an encore, the sky behind the stage was lit up with a bright flash of light, followed by another and another. The firework show had started, yet the audience still seemed to want to hear more singing. Freyja was about to slip off stage before she heard some familiar music blasting through the speakers. She turned to see the woman messing with her MP3 player, a giant grin on her face as she gestured for her to sing. Freyja gave a heavy sigh alongside a huge grin, but nodded in agreement. Walküre never skipped out on an encore, so she needed to follow through!

"Are you ready?!" Freyja screamed out to the crowd, which had already grown bigger as people called their friends and family over to see the show, the fireworks lighting up the background brilliantly.

"Someone's been telling me a rumor: 'The world's gonna come to an end one day'. But that must be a lie- it's so obviously untrue! At that moment, I looked up to the sky; I felt like the future was already here, and synced up to the speed of your wind! I've found a place where I can still be a girl, so I have no choice- I can't stop now!"

Freyja made a gun shape with her fingers and aimed it straight through the crowd, making it look as though she was aiming at everyone together... though Keith could easily tell otherwise, as their eyes made contact and she winked, "Ya better be prepared!"

"When my rune shines bright... Woah-oh, woahwoahwoah! I'm gonna fall in love! Woah-oh, woahwoahwoah~ Pariru paarira, it's all your fault! Pariru, with my rune shining, I'm unstoppable!" Freyja had entranced the audience so quickly, when the second chorus came over, the audience had begun to join in, surprising everyone in attendance. For a people so restricted from singing for so long, to all begin to sing, was a big shock! Through the darkness between the fireworks, the audience was clearly visible from all the runes sparkling so brightly, just like her own.

\- S S S -

When one song ended, another began, until it was long into the night and the firework show had ended. Before she knew it, she had exerted all her energy singing and dancing for these people, that when the show ended, she got bombarded by smaller children asking for her autograph. She did as many as she could, but could feel herself becoming quickly exhausted. Despite this, she couldn't disappoint these new fans... she wanted to spread Walküre's songs to the ends of the galaxy!

She filled out one after another, until her vision began to get slightly blurry. She pushed through, though, taking her time to make sure the autographs were still turning out okay. After two more children, she noticed a tall figure being the next in line. She smiled up to the blurry figure and held her hands out, waiting for something to autograph; instead of an item, she saw a pair of hands slip right past hers, grabbing onto her waist and picking her up. She was held princess-style by the individual and heard a familiar voice speaking to the rest of the kids in the audience before carrying her off. She was ready to voice her complaints, but as soon as he began walking off, no longer in the bright lights of the stage, her arms wrapped around the neck of her savior. She'd thank whoever it was in the morning... and maybe yell at them for picking her up and kidnapping her without permission. She would have appreciated a letter of intent before the kidnapping, giving her time to prepare. Or wait, was she even being kidnapped? She was clearly much too tired to think straight anymore, and drifted off immediately.


End file.
